In Memory

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church, with the Rev. Alan Wicks officiating. Graveside services will be Friday in St. Olaf Lutheran Cemetery, Belmond, Iowa. Visitation with the family present will be one hour prior to the service Wednesday at the church. Visitation with the family present will resume 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel.

Robert was born April 7, 1929, in Belgrade, Neb., the son of Robert and Mary (Zaruba) Provorse. He was raised in Columbus, Neb., with his brother, Al. He was the Nebraska High School half-mile champion. At Doane College, he earned a physical education major and a history minor. He was a standout halfback on the Doane football team and anchored the mile relay team. He was a decathlete at the University of Iowa for two years, finishing fourth at the Kansas Relays.

He married Avis Toftey of Kanawha, Iowa, on June 5, 1954. He was the coach of three sports at Cornell College for two years. He also raised a dairy herd and farmed in north central Iowa for nine years. He then finished his master's in physical education at the University of Iowa.

They moved to Sioux City in 1965, when he began to teach at Central High School. He coached the cross country and swimming teams, which produced the State Champion X-C teams in 1966 and 1967. At North High School, he coached the X-C and track, with 1977 and 1978 state champion track teams that included three individual state champions. He served as the athletic director at North High School for nine years.

He was a member of First Lutheran Church, where he was active with the Men's Bible Study and Breakfast. He also served on the church board first at St. John's Lutheran Church and later at First Lutheran Church. He was active in the Lions Club in Clarion, Iowa, the Boat Club in Sioux City and enjoyed hunting and golf. He was an honorary referee at the Drake Relays, a Sioux City Relays Hall of Fame inductee and a winner of the Honor D Award from Doane College.

He dearly loved his family. He will be remembered by his wife as a loving husband, and by his four sons as a tender father and an outstanding coach.

Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Avis; four sons and their wives, Dr. Robert and Jane Provorse of Whitewater, Wis., Scott and Cindy Provorse of Dillon, Colo., Bradd and Kelli Provorse of Silverthorne, Colo., and James "Jay" and Michelle Provorse of Iowa City, Iowa; six grandchildren, Joseph, Katie, Ellen, Owen, Samuel and Marlo; a brother, Albert "Al" Provorse of Fremont, Neb.; two nieces and their husbands, Cindy and Scot Sindel of Lincoln, Neb., and Kay and Tom Arens of Omaha; and two nephews and their wives, Allan and Paula Provorse of Omaha, and David and Marsha Provorse of Topeka, Kan.